Val Kilmer, the legendary actor known for iconic roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever, and The Doors, had a personal life as dramatic and layered as his filmography. His only marriage was to British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met on the set of the 1988 fantasy film Willow. Their chemistry was instant, and they tied the knot that same year in a whirlwind romance.
The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Mercedes Kilmer, on October 29, 1991, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their son, Jack Kilmer, followed on June 6, 1995. But just two months after Jack’s birth, their marriage unraveled. Joanne filed for divorce in 1995, citing “irreconcilable differences,” and Val famously learned the news while watching CNN in a hotel room. He later called the experience “no fun” and described their split as “the second most expensive divorce in New Mexico.”
Rumors swirled that their marriage crumbled under the weight of Val’s Hollywood heartthrob status and alleged on-set romances, including a claim that Joanne once walked in on him kissing a crew member during Batman Forever.
Val Kilmer Shared Two Kids With His Ex-Wife, Joanne Whalley
Despite the divorce, Val remained deeply connected to his family. Mercedes and Jack grew up navigating their father’s fame and later his health struggles. Val adored them, calling them “really brilliant” and once telling People, “I am just madly, wildly entertained by them. My only gripe is that I never see them enough.”
Mercedes, born in 1991, inherited her parents’ artistic flair. She made her acting debut in the 2020 film Paydirt, playing Val’s on-screen daughter, and later co-produced the 2021 documentary Val, which chronicled his life and battle with throat cancer. She described her dad as “a good friend,” praising his perseverance after his voice was impaired by cancer treatments. “My dad’s able to very artfully circumvent the limitations of his speech,” she told People. “It taught me so much about acting that expanded what I thought acting was, which was central to speech.”
Jack, born in 1995, also stepped into the spotlight, starring in films like Palo Alto and narrating Val when his father’s voice became too strained. Val marveled at how much Jack sounded like his younger self, saying there were moments he couldn’t tell who was speaking.
Val’s love life before and after Joanne was a rollercoaster of high-profile romances. In the 1980s, he dated Cher, who was 13 years his senior. Their relationship began in 1982 when Val was just 23, and Cher later admitted he was one of the few men to ever break up with her. “He’s like nobody I’ve ever known,” she said in 2021. “He is exasperating and hysterical. Thrilling and funny.”
Val’s memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, spilled details about other flings, including a soulful connection with Angelina Jolie, whom he met on the set of Alexander. He wrote that he “couldn’t wait to kiss her” and even joked about buying her a Gulfstream jet. But his most painful breakup was with Daryl Hannah. “I cried every single day for half a year,” he admitted. Post-divorce, he briefly dated Cindy Crawford, who supported him through the split. “I thought I could have died from her love,” he gushed. Yet by the 2000s, Val’s romantic life quieted. In his memoir, he confessed, “I haven’t had a girlfriend in 20 years. The truth is I am lonely part of every day.”
Val’s health battles became a central part of his later years. In 2014, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, though he initially referred to it as “the suggestion of throat cancer,” a nod to his Christian Scientist beliefs. Despite his faith’s avoidance of conventional medicine, he underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and two tracheotomies, which left his voice raspy and required him to use an electric voice box.
By 2020, he was cancer-free but still struggled with speech and eating. His kids stood by him through it all. Mercedes recalled how his illness brought them closer: “We all spend so much time together. There are so many beautiful things that happen when you need help from people.” Val’s final film role was in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised Iceman for a poignant scene with Tom Cruise. “I’ve known Val for decades,” Cruise told Jimmy Kimmel. “He’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again.”
Val Kilmer passed away on April 1, 2025, at 65, from pneumonia. His daughter Mercedes confirmed the news to The New York Times. He left behind a legacy of unforgettable performances, a family who adored him, and a love story—with Joanne, his children, and Hollywood itself—that was as compelling as any role he ever played. His last Facebook post, on March 22, 2025, featured a painting, a quiet nod to the artistic soul who never stopped creating, even as the curtain closed.
